China has persisted in harassing Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea, but President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated that the government is “undeterred.”
“Our resolve to defend and protect our country’s sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea has only been strengthened by the aggression and provocations committed against our vessels and personnel over the weekend by the China Coast Guard (CCG) and their Chinese Maritime Militia,” Marcos stated in a statement late on Sunday.
China’s “dangerous actions against our citizens and illegal presence in our waters is an outright and blatant violation of international law and the rules-based international order,” he emphasized.
Beijing and Manila have exchanged allegations regarding their respective vessels’ collisions.
When the Philippine Coast Guard was resupplying troops on board BRP Sierra Madre, a grounded warship that acts as the nation’s outpost in the Western Pacific, the CCG was allegedly accused of firing water cannons and ramming the patrol boat and supply vessels.
The engine of one of the supply boats, M/L Kalayaan, sustained “severe damage” as a result.
Nonetheless, China asserted that a Philippine ship deliberately collided with their own vessel.
The civilian boat convoy that was scheduled to bring supplies to Filipino fishermen and troops in the WPS was forced to cancel its journey on Sunday, according to the Atin Ito Coalition, because Chinese vessels were “continually shadowing” them.
The incidents happened the day after the Fisheries Bureau’s warships were prevented from approaching Filipino fishing boats near Bajo de Masinloc off Zambales by the CCG using water cannons.
“We own Ayungin.”
Marcos restated that Bajo de Masinloc is a sovereign Philippine territory and a vital component of the archipelago, and that Ayungin Shoal is located inside the nation’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
“The Philippines is the only country with a valid right or legal foundation to conduct business anywhere in the West Philippine Sea,” he declared.
China has defied a 2016 decision by an international tribunal that stated its claims lacked legal support. China claims practically the whole South China Sea, including islands and waterways close to its neighbors’ borders.
Under Marcos, who has attempted to strengthen ties with longtime ally Washington and retaliate against Chinese operations in the West Philippine Sea, relations between Manila and Beijing have deteriorated.
In return for promises of investment, his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte oversaw a shift in foreign policy toward China.
In addition, Marcos stated that he has given the uniformed services instructions to “proceed with a mission-oriented mindset” while exercising the highest care for their own safety.
